In Gaza, the sounds of conflict have been replaced by the chilling winds of winter, families living in fragile tents face unimaginable suffering due to harsh winter. Among them is Abdul Qader, a father who recently lost his six weeks old baby Sila to the unbearable cold.
On February 25, 2025, Sila became the seventh child to die from hypothermia in Gaza within just 24 hours. Her story is one of many heartbreaking losses in northern Gaza, this highlights the severe humanitarian crisis facing families in Gaza, where freezing temperatures and desperate living conditions continue to claim innocent lives. These winters highlight the urgent need for support and aid to save vulnerable families enduring unimaginable suffering.
The Abdul Qader family was displaced from their home in northern Gaza, and were sheltering themselves in a flimsy tent with no protection from freezing temperatures. “We slept on the cold sand, shivering under thin blankets,” Mahmoud told Al Jazeera. “Sila cried all night, but we had no way to warm her”.
His tent, like thousands across Gaza, lacked heating, electricity, and proper insulation. With temperatures dropping to 9°C (48°F), Mahmoud and his wife tried wrapping Sila in extra clothes, but the cold seeped through the tent’s torn fabric.
Mahmoud said he and his wife tried everything they could think of to comfort her. “We held her close and sang lullabies. But by the morning Sila’s body had turned stiff from the cold. Her skin felt like ice. I rushed her to the hospital, but it was too late. The doctors said she was already dead.”
Sila’s heartbreaking death was not an isolated incident. In just one week, at least six other infants also lost their lives to hypothermia in Gaza. Among them was Jumaa al-Batran, a 20-day-old baby who died in Deir el-Balah after dew soaked through his family’s tent. Yahya al-Batran, said his son was found with his head “cold as ice”. Three newborns (1–2 days old) were reported dead at Gaza City’s Friends of the Patient Hospital due to extreme cold conditions that left them too weak to survive without incubators. And Sila al-Faseeh, 3 weeks old, whose father found her “stiff as wood” in a Khan Younis camp.
Dr. Saeed Salah, who works at a hospital in Gaza City, explained the terrible situation, “Newborns arrived at the hospital not suffering from any particular diseases, but just cold. Families have no heating, fuel, or proper shelter.” The lack of basic necessities has created a medical crisis that is claiming innocent lives every day.
Mahmoud said, “My daughter died because the world abandoned us”. Hamas condemned the deaths as “Israeli criminal policies” while the UN called for urgent aid access.
Sila’s story is not just about one family; it represents the plight of nearly 2 million displaced Gazans enduring a second winter under siege conditions. With hospitals overwhelmed and food scarce, parents are faced with impossible choices every day.
In northern Gaza, countless families have been forced to live in flimsy shelters due to ongoing poverty and displacement. These makeshift tents offer little protection from the harsh winter. Freezing temperatures, strong winds, and heavy rain make life unbearable for those trying to survive.
Parents do their best, wrapping their children in old blankets and keeping small fires burning. But these efforts are rarely enough to fight off the bitter cold. Many families lack basic necessities like proper heating, warm clothing, and essential supplies, turning survival into a daily battle.
In addition to the suffering,the blockade has severely delayed the delivery of aid, turning it into a serious issue. After destroying many homes in Gaza, Israel has blocked the entry of mobile homes, tents, and winter supplies promised under a ceasefire deal with Hamas. This has worsened an already dire situation.
Since December 2024, at least 74 children have died due to winter-related conditions, according to the UN. This includes eight newborns who tragically passed away in December alone. The blockade, coupled with Gaza's economic struggles, makes it nearly impossible to provide enough help to those in need.
While humanitarian groups work tirelessly to distribute blankets, heaters, and food, their resources fall far short of the growing demand. Local doctors report a rise in cold-related illnesses like pneumonia and respiratory infections. For children like Sila, these conditions can quickly turn life-threatening when combined with poor living environments and limited medical care.